Apparatus for sealing off vessels



June 14, 1960 B. CHAUVIN APPARATUS FOR SEALING oFF vEsssLs 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 19, 1958 Canam mt@ IV f l\ will vw E mi o om w ww om June 14, 1960 B. CHAUVIN APPARATUS FOR SEALING oFF vEssELs 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 19, 195B June 14, 1960 B. CHAUVIN 2,940,231

APPARATUS FOR SEALING OFF' VESSELS Filed Aug. 19, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 22 INVENTOR. @EFA/He c/f//w//fv /77727/BVEX June 14, 1960 B. cHAuvm 2,940,231

APPARATUS FQR SEALING OFF VESSELS United States Patent O APPARATUS FOR SEALING OFF VESSELS Bernard Chauvin, Cedar Grove, NJ., assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Aug. 19, 1958, Ser. No. 756,008

12 Claims. (Cl. 53-91) The present invention relates to the sealing-off of vessels containing gas at a pressure higher than atmospheric and, more particularly, toapparatus for sealing oit exhaust tubes of incandescent lamps or photoash lamps containing gas as such pressures.

Heretofore, the exhaust tubes of such incandescent lamps or photoash lamps have beensealed off or tipped olf at the end of the exhaust operation by a method and apparatus of the type shown in U.S. Patent No. 2,273,445, issued February 17, 1942, to M. E. McGowan et al., and assigned to the same assignee as the present application. In such apparatus a chamber is formed about an exhaust tube of a lamp at the tipping-off station by sliding counterpart compartments (which open toward one another) into abutting and hermetic engagement to hermetically enclose a portion of the exhaust tube adjacent the tipping-off point. After compressed air has been introduced into the chamber at a pressure equal tothe gas pressure in the incandescent lamp or photoash lamp, a burner contained in each compartment cooperates with the burner in the other compartment to effect the tipping-off operation on the exhaust tube.

While such method and apparatus are satisfactory for alovr production rate in the order of about 600 incandescent or photoilash lamps per hour, an increase of such production rate to the current rate of about 1200 lamps per hour leaves about three seconds for the numerous required operations, such as `indexing of a head -into the tipping-off station, the formation of'the compartment about the exhaust tube, the introductionof the high-pressure air into (and the build-up of) the pressurized ambient atmosphere in the compartment, the tipping-oi operation and the retraction of the compartments. Such time is obviously inadequate to perform these many necessary individual operations. In addition, the present utilization by the industry of higher ll pressures in the neighborhood of 800 to 1500 millimeters of mercury adds 'to the minimum time required for the tipping-oli operation.

To further complicate the problem of minimum required time, the lamp industry is currently using a method of tipping off the exhaust tubes, which method utilizes a pressure within the chamber desirably higher than the till pressure within the lamp, so that upon softening of the exhaust tube by the tipping-off burners, the greater pressure withinthe chamber causes an inward collapse of the exhaust tube at the Atipping-oli? point and also prevents blow out ofthe exhaust tube. A more serious problem involved in the use of this current method and apparatus is the frequent extinction of the dames of the tippingolic burners during each pressurizing of the chamber and the necessity of continually manually adjustingthe gas and air mixture being fed to such burners.

It is the general object of the present invention to avoid and overcome the foregoing and other diculties of and objections to prior art practices by the provision of apparatus for tipping olf exhaust tubes of vessels; such as photoash lamps, containing gas at a pressure higher than 2 i atmospheric which apparatus is operable ecie'ntly'lat present high-speed production rates. v l

A specific object ofy the present invention is the` provi? sion of a pressure chamber disposedfaboutthe tipping'- of station and several adjacent'stations of a conventional exhaust machine, which chamber cooperates-with. the turret of the exhaust machine to hermetically. seal such photoflash lamps therein during the tipping-off operation of the exhaust tubes of the lamps so that the ambient chamber pressuresurrounding the lamps will be higher than the fill pressure within the latter.

Another object of the present invention istheprovi sion of a pressure chamber adapted to cooperate with the heads of the exhaustmachine to permit the ingress and egress of the heads into the'pressure chamber with a minimized loss of the chamber pressure.

A further object ofthe present invention is theprovision of a pressure chamber adapted to permit the discharge of the tipped-olf lamps therefrom with-a minimized loss of the chamber pressure. f

Another object of the present invention is the provision of means for automaticallyregulating the flow of gas and air to the tipping-off burners disposed within the pressure chamber, which regulatingmeans is responsive to changes in the pressure within the pressure chamber during the pressurizing and the normal operation of the latter to automatically adjust such ow of gas-and air to the tipping-off burners and thereby maintain the tipping-olf ames of such burners relatively constant.

lThe aforesaid objects of the invention, and otherV ob'- jects which will become apparent as the description proceeds, are achieved by providing apparatus for tipping off exhaust tubes of photoiiash lamps containing gas, at a pressure higher than atmospheric and comprising a pressure chamber about the tipping-,olfy station and adjacent stations of the exhaust machine, which' chamber hermetically seals the photoash lamps from the Yatmosphere and surrounds the lamp with anambient'lpressure greater than the ll pressure of thelamps,fand means responsive to changes in the pressure withinV the pressure chamber for automatically adjusting the ow o'f'gasand air to the tipping-off burners disposed adjacentv such tipping-olf station. p e

For a better understanding ofthe present invention reference should be had to the accompanyingV drawings wherein like numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views and whereinz. t

Fig. l isa fragmentary planY view of ai portion of the turret of an exhaust machine for exhaustingphot'oash lamps and the tipping-off apparatus of the present invention', whichapparatus includes a pressure' chamber provided with an entrance rotor andexit rotor land' having the top portion of the pressure chamber broken away to show the tipping-olf mechanism. l "i l Fig. 2 -is a longitudinal vertical-sectional viewaloug the line II-H of Fig'. l, taken in the direction oftheV ar'- rows and showing the turret, the exhaust heads'thereoii and the pressure chamber in which are disposed preheating means, the tipping-cfr" mechanism and a portion of the discharge mechanism for removing-the tipped-off lamps from the pressure chamber. l r

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontalsectional view of the entrance rotor to the pressure chamber taken along the line III-ill ofY Fig.- 2 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a vertical-sectional View along the Vline IV"-IV Y of Fig. linthepdirection of the arrows and showing the fthe -pr'eheating and ytipping-olf. burners.

sealing ring vcarried by the turretand utilized for making a substantially hermetic sealwith the pressure chamber, 1 aken alongthelineV V-V of in the direction of the arrows.: f

Y r Fig. 6 is,Y a horizontal-sectionalview 'of a discharge rotorr'of'the `discharge mechanism taken'along the line i VIK-.VI ofFig 4 in the directionof the arrows. Y

4 j 'A A I nection ofthe sweep 14 (through the above-mentioned exhaust valve) to the exhaust system. At station 22 Fig. 7 is an end view along the line'VII-Vll of Fig. 4

inthevdirpection of thearrows, of the'indexing rnech-V anisnziV for'the discharge rotor*v of the discharge mech- YVanismp, Y v

Fig. ,8 is an elevational viewof the indexing mech- V anism of Fig. 7 when viewed vfrom. theftop portion of Fig.7. ,Y Y. n. A Fig.j9is afragmentary view,rsimilar rto Fig. 4, and showing .first the position of Vrthe tipping-off fork and tipping-off burners of the tipping-ott mechanismafter the v Y tipping-off'fork `has beenjmoved'downwardly to engage theneck portion of the photoa'sh lamp and,'secondly a 'scharge nest of the kdiscliarge'mechanism after Vsuch nest has beerimoved upwardlyto receive the photofl'ash lamp',vthereby securing such lamp therebetween. g

Fig. 10 Vis a View similar. to Fig. 9'and showin'gfthe in )sit'iou'vrof the tipping-ofi fork, tipping-cti burners and' discharge nest after 1 they have moved downwardly Yto Ystretch the plasticized portion of. the exhaust tube 'and affect the tipping-011 of the photoilashv lamp.

'Y Fig. 1l' is a view"similar to Figs. 9 and 10 showing au .intermediate position Yof the,v parts after` the timing-oli?V mechanism has been retracted to the position shown in Y Fig. 4,'and the discharge nest,y and the photoash lamp carried thereby have been moved Vdownwardly intoY engagement witha stop means lpreparatory for the piv- Yotabl'e movement of the discharge nest to cause theV dis- Y charge of'such photoashlamp.

. Fig. 12 is a'viewsimilar t Figs.` 9 throughjll Vand continuedV downward movement of the reciprocating Ymeans for the Ydischarge'nest and Yaction of the stop meansQnd'the discharge of thelpho'toash lamp from the discharge nestr by engagement thereofwith a knockout'pin'.VV .Y

Fig. 13'. Vis Y a schemmatic view showing the pressure-Y Y' 1 With specific reference'gto the Yform of the invention illustrated in .the drawings, and referring particularly to f Figs. 1 and 2, the referencenumeral 10 V*designates aV tur.-

`ret of a conventional exhaust machine (of the type shown 'infrU,.S.- Patent No. 2,113,798, Aissued April 12, l1938, to`

1 Mullan) which machine is Yutilized for therexhausting, Y high-pressure filling and tipping'oiof'sealed-in photoash Y. lampsllf VThisturrent 10 is adapted to support a plu-V v iality'of, for `example thirtyLtwo,wexhaust heads 12 (ofY .the typeV shown in the aforesaid patent). The turret 10,

4Vthe exhaust heads 12 and the sealed-in lamps 11 carried thereby are indexed through a like number of workV stations in theconventional manner by an Vindexing mech-YV Vanism (not shown) but of the typeshownV in U.S. Patent.

No;2,569,852,issued October 2, 197571 to VVl; H. Green. As shown best in Fig. 4, a sealed-in photoash lamp 11 is' secured in a conventional V.compression rubber as'- v' tionalexhanst vvalve/(not shown);Y but of the type shown Avin the above-mentioned U,.S.`Patent No. 2,113,798. This Y exhaust valve lis operable inthe conventional manner to alternately connect Vthe sweep 14 eithef toV anexhaus'ting v'.{ysteni (not shown) or to an oxygen-till supply system shown).A /Afterjthensealed-in lamp`` 11 is loaded; at station -1 (not shown)VV such lamp is evacuated from (not shown) the sweep 14 is'connected by operation of such exhaust valve to the'oxygeu-ll supply system and the evacuated lamp 11 lledjto a pressure in the range of about S50-1050111119- ODSICFIY- Y v Referringto '-Figs.12,-3 and4, it lwill Ybe noted that a vpressure chamber 11i-gis provided within: an arcuateY segmental box or castingf19` vwlnrchlisYmounted-on a pair of columns 2@ upstanding from abcd-plate 22 Voithe exhaust machinekandvthat suchrprssure chamber 18 (Figs. l and Z) is disposed about *work stations-25 through 28 of such exhanst machine.`v As shown in Fig. l, this casting 19 which hermetically encloses the pressure chamber 1S from the ambient atmosphere, is provided with a removable window 24 (hermetically sealed thereto) to facilitate observation of` the preheatingp'operation at station 26 and thertipping-ol`operationrat station 27 of the exhaust machine.` This pressure chamber 118 is pressurized by means, to be described later, to a pressure in the range of aboutY 1050-1150 mm. of HggfY Along its top surface, as viewed in Fig. 4, theY casting-19has resilient sealing plates 26 mounted thereon and each Yplate 26 projects inwardly from either side of an annular clearance slot 28, provided in suchltop surface. This clearance slot '28 is adapted toA permit passage of oxygenlledlamps 11 along their path of movement through stations 25-28. These resilient sealing plates 26 are held in hermetic engagement with a circumferential sealing Aring 30 (Figi. 5), extending around the periphery of Y the Vturret 10' and mountedrthereon by means of 4bolts 32, by Ythe above-atmospheric pressure within the vpressure chamber 18. To preventthe pressure within the pressure Y showing the positionV of the discharge Vj'nest Vafter it has 7.7 been pivoted into its lamp-discharge position due toY the sembly of; the exhaust headf12 andthe hollow interior Y of such head Aisconnected by asweep 14y to fa convenchamber 18 fromfbreaking the hermetic seal between the sealingplates 26 and fthe sealing ring 30, a thrust roller `3?: (Figs. l and 4) yis'mounted on the'top of the casting 19 at stations 25 through 28. These thrust rollers 33 engagerthe top surface, as viewed in Fig. 4,.,of the right-hand portion of sealing ring 30. p Y,

Secured to' opposite Vend portions of, the 4 `casting v19 (Fig. l) are an entrance-rotor housing 34 andan exitrotor housing 34 which'form a part of entrance means and exit means, respectively, and which perniit the ex- VhaustV heads 12V andthe sealed-in lamps 11 to move into Yand `out ofv thejpressure chamber 18 Withiminimum loss of Vpressure therefrom. VThe rotor housingr-/t'surrounds stations 23, and 24 at fthe left-,hand end of thecasting 19, asviewedin Fig. Land the rotor housing 34 isl asso-` v ciated with stations .29. and""30Y atjthe right-hand end of suchV casting l19. To provide means forrpermitting theindexing vofwfthe exhaust heads 12 and the'oxygenfilled lamps 11 carried thereby into the pressure chamber Y18 with'a minimum loss ofpressure .within suchpryessure chamber 18, van VentrancerotorfG isV mounted 'on a' freely rotatable shaft 38A1(Figs..2and '3) journalled in the entrance-rotor housing .34. Eorthepurpose of permitting the egress .of suchfexhaust' heads 12 from the YApressure chamber 18 (after the tipping-off operation), an exit rotor .40 issimilarly mounted jon another shaft 38 journalled in vthe exit-rotor housing.V f

As an exhaust head 12 and the oxygen-gllred lamp 11 Y carried Vthereby are indexed from station 22, the oxygenthroghinto onxeofrfourfhubreeeiving slots 46, quad-l rantally and radially disposed in -the entrance rotor-B6.

It will be appreciated froma consideration of Figs.l and 3, that byY the-timethe exhaust head 12 andthe oxygen'- /lled lamp 11have arrived'at station 23 hub portion :42 has enteredthe hub-receiving slot;46'in the entrance rotor35.: During the next iudexrof .the exhaust `machine Vtheabove-rnentQIied hub Yportion 42inoves from station 23 to station 24 and the hub-receiving slot 46 engaged by such hub portion 42 moves therewith, thereby causing the entrance rotor to rotate 90 in clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, and causing the hub-receiving slot 46 and hub portion 42 at station 24 to move into registry with an entrance slot 48 leading to the interior of the pressure chamber 18. During such indexing movement the next exhaust head 12 (previously at station 22) positions itself in another hub-receiving slot 46 in the entrance rotor 36 which hasbeen moved into registry with the entrance slot 44 in the entrance-rotor housing 34, as viewed in Fig. 3. When the turret of the exhaust machine is indexed again, the exhaust head 12 and oxygenfilled lamp 11 at station 24 pass through the entrance slot 48 into the pressure chamber 1S and move from station 24 (Fig. l) to station 25, an idle station within the pressure chamber 18.

1t will be appreciated from a consideration of Fig. 3, that the peripheral spacing between adjacent hub-receiving slots 46 is such that at no time during the rotation of the entrance rotor 36 is there a path of communication between the pressurized interior of the pressure chamber 13 and the entrance slot 44 in the entrance-rotor housing 34, thereby minimizing pressure losses within such pressure chamber 13 during the introduction of an exhaust head 12' and the oxygen-iilled lamp 11 into the pressure chamber 13. Further, since two hub portions 42 are always in engagement with two of the hub-receiving slots 46, the entrance rotor 36 is locked in position between indexes of the exhaust machine.

Pressure-compensating means To provide pressure-compensating means for maintaining the pressure within the pressure chamber 18 in the range of about 1050-1150 mm. of mercury, such pressure chamber 18 is connected by air lines 5G and 52 (Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 13) to a pressure-compensating tank 56 (Fig. 13), suitably having about four or ve times the volume of the pressure chamber 18. Due to the large volume of the ,pressure-compensating tank 56 any decrease in the pressure within the pressure chamber 18 is readily compensated for by admission of compressed air through the lines 59 and 52 into such pressure chamber 13. Compressed air is fed from a compressed air supply (not shown) into the pressure-compensating tank 56 through an inlet line 58 and admission of compressed air into the pressure-compensating tank 56 is automatically controlled by a pressure-responsive valve 66, and is thereby responsive to any change in the pressure within the tank 56. A y I During the next index of the turret 19, the abovementioned exhaust head 12 at station 25, the idle station, is indexed with the oxygen-filled lamp 11 carried hereby to station 26, the preheating station, where a section ot the exhaust tube of the oxygen-lied lamp 11, which is to be tipped o, is heated by a preheating means to a temperature of about 650 C. to render such section red hot. This preheating of the exhaust tube conditions the tube for tipping off at the succeeding tipping-oilC station 27 and reduces the time required for such tippingot operation. lt has been found that heatingv or" such section -to the above-mentioned temperature range seitens the latter suthciently so that when the exhaust head 12 is indexed to station 27 such tube wavers slightly.

Prekerztug means To provide preheating means for heating the abovementioned section of the exhaust tube at station 26, preheating burners 64 (Figs. 2 and 13) are mounted c-n a rigid gas-air line 66 adiacent the normal axial position ot the exhaust tube when an oxygen-filled lamp 11 is at station 26 and such preheating burners 64 are directed at the section of such tube which is to be preheated. These preheating burners 64 are connected by the gas-air line 66 to a gas-air mixture 68 (Fig. 13). To provide valve 78 `and another manually preset valve 80 to the gas-air mixer 68.

To provide control means associated with the abovementioned gas and air supply systems, which control means is operable in response to changes of pressure within pressure chamber 18 to regulate such supply of gas and air to the gas-air mixer 68 and hence to the burners 64 (thereby maintaining the thermal output of said burners constant and preventing extinction of the flames of said preheating burners 64), the pressureresponsive valves 72 and 78 are connected by bleeder lines 82 and 84 respectively to the pressure chamber 1S. Thus, any change in the pressure within the pressure chamber 1S causes the pressure-responsive valves 72 and 7S to automatically adjust lthe ow of gas and air to the gas-air mixer 68 to achieve the desired above-mentioned result.

During the next index of the turret 10, the exhaust head 12 and the oxygen-illed lamp 11 carried thereby are moved from station 26, the preheating station, to station 27, the tipping-off station where the lamp 11 is tipped-on and discharged from the pressure chamber 18, as now related.

T ipping-o mechanism At station 27, tipping-oft' burners 86 (Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 13) and mounted on a reciprocable tipping-off fork 87, are directed at the preheated section of the exhaust tubulation, andare connected by a gas-air line 88 to another g'as-air mixer 9i) (Fig. 13). As shown in Fig. 2, a portion of the gas-air line 88 within the pressure chamber 18 is desirably flexible to permit the joint reciprocation of the tipping-ofi burners 86 and tipping-off fork 87. This gas-air mixer 90 in turn is connected by an air line 92 through a manually preset valve 94 to a branch connection of the air line 76 and by a gas line 96 through another manually'preset valve 98 to a branch connection with the gas line 7i). 1t will be appreciated from a consideration of Fig. 13 that the flow of'gas and air to the mixer 90 is automatically controlled `by the pressureresponsive valves 72 and 78 (when changes in pressure within the pressure chamber 18 are transmittedl by the bleeder lines 82 and S4 respectively to such valves 72 and '73) thereby maintaining the thermal output of the tippingon burners S6 constant to heat the tubulation to about 1000 C. and preventing extinction of the ames of said tipping-ofic burners 86.

In order to provide venting means for the removal of the combustion gases produced by the preheating burners 64 and the tipping-oft" burners 86 from the pressure chamber 18 (which gases naturally rise to the top of such pressure chamber, as viewed in Fig. 4), vent lines 100 are mounted in the top of the casting 19 (Figs. 4 and 13) and connect vent openings 161 in such casting 19 through bleeder valves 102 to the atmosphere. It will be appreciated that the above-atmospheric pressure within the pressure chamber 1S will cause the expulsion of the combustion gases, which collect near the top of such pressure chamber 18, through the vent holes 101 (which are aligned with the burners 64 and 86), the lines 100 and the bleeder valve 162, which are only slightly opened. The relatively small loss of compressed air through the venting means from the pressure chamber 18 will of course be cornpen, sated for by the operation of the above-described compensating means.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, a discharge nest 104 is pivotably mounted at 106 (belowand in axial alignment with the oxygen-filled lamp 11 and the tipping-ott fork 87) on a yoke 108 ah'ixed to a plunger 110 which is reciprocable in suitable bearings 112 provided in the casting 19, The

idasi discharge nest 104 is biased by a spring 114 (Fig. 2) into theY normally horizontal lamp-receiving position shown in Fig; 4. ToV provide reciprocating means for the yoke 108, the lower end of the plunger 110, as viewed in Fig. 4

, is connected by-a link Y1,16 to a cam lever 118 pivoted at on another-,plunger V124 (Fig. 4) `which is reciprocable f in the casting 19 by Vconventional linkage similar to that connected to the plunger 110. ,Y k

After the exhaust head 12V and the oxygen-Ahlled lamp 11 haveindexedinto station "2f/ff, the tipping-off station, the preheated section of the exhaust tube is further heated bythe tipping-olf burners 86 above the preheat temperature of about 650 C. As shown in Fig. 9, the tippingoi burners 86and the tipping-offfork 87 are then moved downwardlyV @distance D1.(from the dotted-line position shown therein to the solid-line' position shown in such Afigure) Vso that, the tipping-off fork 87 l'engages the neck portion of theAoxygen-lled lamp 11 (during the continued heating of the tube by the tipping-off burners 86) Simultaneously, with this downward engaging movement of the tipping-off fork 87, the'discharge nest 104V is moved upwardly a distance D2 (from the dotted-line position to the solid-line position, shown inFig. 9.) to receive the oxygen- -fllled lamp 11. ,e VThereafteiy-as shown in Fig.,9-ll, the tipping-oit burners Sti-continue -to heat the heatedrportion of the exhaust tube which has no w been heated to a temperature of about 1000 C. and is in a plasticized condition. Thetippingoi fork87 kandthe discharge vnest-104 with the lamp 11 Vheldtherebetween are lowered Va distance D3 (fromltheV k'dotted-line position shown in Fig.'V 10 to the solid-line position shown therein) -to stretch the plasticized portion ofV the'exhaust tube and permit the tipping-olf burners 86 to .sever such stretched portionV from the remaining portion heldin the-.exhaust head 12 and to form a rounded tip on' thetipped-oi portion of the exhaust tube remaining with the tipped-oi'lamp 11.Y i i Eitherdsirnultaneously or separately, as desired, the

- tippinfg-ofif-fork'V 87 is moved upwardly a distance D4 and the'tipped-oi lamp'll held-in the discharge nest 104 is moveddownwardly. afdistance D5 (from the Ydotted-lineV positions, shown Yin Fig.' 1l, to the solid-line Vpositions portionofthe pivoted spring-biased discharge nest 104 hown therein) at which solid-line position the'right-hand VY8 Y t e Dischrg'e mechanism l 2 Y vThis dischargermechanism (Figs. 2, 4, 7 and ,8) is similar in construction yto the entrance and exit means afxed to the casting 19 and has avdischarge rotor 134 aixed toa shaft 'lrextending tliroughand joumalled in the bottom portion of-the'discharge-rotor housing 13'6. Toy permit entrance of the Atipped-0E lamp 11 from the guide chute '130 into'one of'four quadrantally'disposed lamp-receiving apertures 132 in the discharge rotor 134 (Fig. 6) the casting 19 is provided 'with discharge aperture 140 (Fig. 4).

In order to cause indexing of the lamp-receiving aperture 132 from (for example) position A, its lamp receiving position in alignmenwith the bottom of the guide chute 139, as viewed in Fig. 4, into position C, its lamp discharging position (two indexes away) in alignment with a discharge chute 1-42 mounted ony a bracket 144 upstanding froniptn'e'` bed-plate 22, the drive shaft 138 which vcarries the. discharge rotor 134 is connected to a drive disc 146 (Figs. .4, 7 and 8). This drive disc 146 has quadrantally disposed bulb-feeding apertures 132:1 which-align themselves at position C with the lamp-receiving apertures 1,32 and is driven by anY indexing mechanism. r I

This indexing mechanism (Figsf4, 7 and 8) vhas an air cylinder V148 pivotably mounted at 150V on the bracket 144, the spring-biased pistonl rod `152 of which air'cylinder 148 carriesan operating rod 154 connected at V156 to a lever 158 freely'ro'tatable on the 'shaft'138. The outer or free end of the lever 158, as viewedin Fig. 7, carries a driving pawl 160 normally biased by a spring 162 in one of four notches 164,-qu'adranta1ly disposed in the periphery of the drive disc I'146.

' Y of the exhaust machine) and an air valve 1'53 (Fig. 13),

the movement of the piston rod 1.52 and the operating rod 1'54 to the left (against the action of the spring bias- I ing, not shown, onV such piston rod152) causes the lever 158 and the driving'pawl 160 and hence the drive disc -146 to rotate 90 in counterclockwise direction from the x solid-line position, shown in Fig.V 7, to the dotted-line comes into engagement with a stationary stop 126, mount- Y ed in and projecting from a suit-able vopening in the casts ing 19. Y f Thereafter, Vthe further icontinuous downward Y movement oftheyokeglOS and the plunger 110 a distance` VD6 (from the dotted-line position'shown in Fig. 12 to the solid-line position Y shown therein) causes the dischargeV nest 104-.with the tipped-ov lamp 11 to pivot 90 in coimte'rclockwis'efdirection about its pivot 106, as viewed in VvFig. l2, against the restraining action of the spring 114 i (Fig. 2) Vfrom the dotted-line position to the solid-line position, shown in Fig. 12.. Near the end of such pivoting movementthe bottom of the seated tipped-off lamp `llengages a'knock-out pin 128 aiixed toV and projecting from the yoke 108, thereby unseating such lamp 11 from the discharge nest 104 and causing it to fall downwardly an intermediate position.

position shown therein, withattendant movement of the discharge rotor 134V affixedito the shaft 138,Y and the lamp-receiving aperture i132 therein, from position A (Fig. (7), the lamp-receiving position, to" position B, During such movement of the operating rod 154 to the left, an arm 166 carried by the operating rod 154 permits a torsion-spring-bi-ased latching pawl 168 (mounted at i170 ona lug 172 projecting from the discharge Yrotor housing l136) to move into engagement with the periphery of the drive disc.'146 and (.when theV driving pawl 150 arrives at the dotted-line position, shown in Fig. 7) to engage `,the then adjacent notch 164.

When the ow of compressed air tothe cylinder 148 Y is'cut oi by further operation of the above-mentioned into an adjacent guide chute 130 mounted in a hermetip cally'sealed bore provided'in'thebottomportion of the YAeasing 19V (Fig. 4). The'tipped-'oi lamp 11 drops downwardly'under theforce'of gravity through the guide chute V130 into' adischarge mechanism secured by means of its discharge-rotorV housing 136Y to the` bottomV portions of thecasting Y19, as vrviewed inrFig. 4, andrbelowY the bottom Y Y i i. of the guide chute 130.

'cam and air valve 153 and the piston rod 1'52 and operating rod 154 are retracted tothe right, as viewed in Fig. 7 (by the action of the spring biasing, not shown, on such piston rod 152), the latching pawl 168 prevents rotation of the drive disc 146 in clockwise direction and permits the spring-biased.drivingpawl to retract from the dotted-line position to the Solid-line position shown therein, preparatory for the next indexing movement of the indexing mechanism to move the lampV V11 and the lamp-receiving aperture 132 from position B to posi-V tion C', the lamp-dischargingiposition. l

When the tipped-ofi lamp lil arrives `at position .C

Vit falls by gravity throughY a guide aperture 174 provided in arbottom' projection, as viewed in Fig. 4, of the discharge-rotor housing 136, through the'aligned` guide aperture `132a in the drive disc 146 and into the discharge chute 142.

Thereafter, the indexing mechanism (not shown)v for the exhaust machine successively indexes the exhaust head 12 (still carrying a portion of the exhaust tubulation of the tipped-oit lamp 11) from the station 27 through station 28 (Fig. 1), and idle station, and into station 29 Where the hub portion i42 of such exhaust head 12 passes through an entrance slot 4B' in the exit-rotor housing 34' and into a hub-receiving slot 46 in the exit-rotor 40 at station 29. The exhaust head 12 is then indexed to station 30 causing 90 clockwise rotation of the exit rotor 49, as viewed in Fig. 1, and thence to station 31. During the latter index, such exhaust head 12 leaves the exit means to the pressure chamber 18 through an exit slot 176 (Fig. 1) provided in the exit-rotor housing 34, with a minimum loss of pressure from the pressure chamber 1-8.

Thereafter, the ydischarge tipped-oft photoash lamp 1=1 is provided in the usual manner with a base 178 to become a finished photoash lamp, as shown in Fig. 14.

It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the objects of the present invention have been achieved by the provision of apparatus for tipping-on? the exhaust tubes of vessels, such as photoilash lamps, containing gas at a pressure higher than atmospheric. Such apparatus is operable at high-speed production rates and cooperates with the turret of the exhaust machine to hermetically seal such photoflash lamps within a pressure chamber of the apparatus during the tipping-oit operation of the exhaust tubes of such lamps, so that the ambient pressure surrounding the lamps will be higher than the ll pressure of the latter. In addition, the lapparatus is operable to cooperate with the exhaust heads of the exhaust machine to permit the ingress and egress of such exhaust heads into the pressure chamber with a minimum loss of pressure within the latter. The apparatus is further operable to permit the discharge of the tipped-ott photoash lamps from the pressure chamber with a further minimum loss of pressure therefrom. Further, the apparatus is equipped with means for automatically regulating the ow of gas and air to -the tipping-orf burners disposed within the pressure chamber and such means is responsive to changes in the pressure within the chamber to automatically adjust such ow of gas and air to the tipping-off burners, thereby maintaining the tipping-off ames of such burners relatively constant.

While in accordance with the patent statutes one best known embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be particularly understood that the invention is not limited thereto or thereby.

I claim:

l. Apparatus -for tipping off an exhaust tube of a vessel containing gas at a pressure Ihigher than atmospheric, comprising a pressure chamber disposed about a tipping-ohc position of the apparatus and having a predetermined pressure therewithin, an exhaust head adapted to receive an exhaust tube and :operable to move into hermetic engagement with said chamber and to deliver a essel to the tipping-off position within said chamber, said chamber being operable by movement of said head to permit ingress of such vessel thereinto with a rninimum loss of pressure Within said chamber, tipping-oit means disposed adjacent the tipping-olf position of such apparatus and positioned to eiect the tipping olf of the exhaust tube of such vessel While in said chamber, and control means connected to said tipping-olf means and said chamber and operable in response to changes in pressure Within said chamber to maintain the thermal output of said tipping-off means constant.

2. Apparatus for tipping cti an exhaust tube of a vessel containing `gas at a pressure higher than atmospheric, comprising a pressure chamber disposed about a tipping-olf position of the apparatus and having an entrance thereto, means connected to said chamber for introducing a compressed uid to said chamber, an exhaust a predetermined pressure within said chamber, an exhaust 10 head adapted to receive an exhaust-tube andopera-ble to -move into hermetic engagement with, said chamber 4and to deliver a vessel-to thetipping-ot positionwithin said chamber, means ydisposed at the entrance to said chamber and `operable by movement of said head to permit ingress of such vessel thereinto with minimumloss of pressure Within said` chamber, tipping-oit means disposed adjacent the tipping-ofi` position of suchapparatus and positioned to effect-the tipping Ioi of the exhaust tube of such vessel, and cont-rol means connected to said supply means and said chamber and operable in response to changes in pressure Within said chamber to maintain thethermal output of said tipping-oil?` means constant.

3. Apparatus for tipping oi an exhaust tulbe of a vessel containing gas at a pressure higher than atmospheric, comprising a pressure chamber disposed about a tipping-ott position of the apparatus and having an entrance thereto, supply means connected to said chamber for introducing compressed air 'to said chamber to provide a predetermined pressure Within said chamber, cornpensating means connected to the supply means and said chamber to rapidly adjust the pressure within said chamber to the predetermined pressure when such chamber pressure falls Ibelow such predetermined pressure, control means connected to said compensating means and operable in response to changes in pressure within said compensating means to maintain such pressure relatively constant, an exhaust head adapted to receive an exhaust tube and operable to rnove into hermetic engagement with said chamber and to deliver a vessel to the tipping-off position within said chamber, means disposed at the entrance to said chamber and operable -by movement of said head to permit ingress of such vessel thereinto With minimum loss of pressure within said chamber, tipping-off means disposed adjacent the tippingot position of such apparatus and positioned to effect the tipping off of the exhaust tube of such vessel, and control means connected to said supply means and said chamber and operable in response to changes in pressure Within said chamber to maintain the thermal output of said tipping-ofi means constant.

4. Apparatus 'for tipping o an exhaust tube-,of a vessel containing Agas at a pressure higher than atmospheric, comprising a pressure chamber disposed about a tipping-ott position of the apparatus and having an entrance thereto, ymeans connected to said chamber for introducing compressed air to said chamber to provide a predetermined pressure Within said chamber, an exhaust head adapted to Yreceive an exhaust tube and operable to move into hermetic engagement with said chamber and to deliver a vessel to the tipping-olf position within said chamber, means disposed at the entrance to said chamber and operable by 4movement of said head toy permit ingress of such vessel thereinto Awith minimum loss of pressure Within said chamber, a plurality of burners disposed adjacent the tipping-off position of such apparatus and positioned to effect the tipping-oit of the exhaust tube of such vessel, supply means connected to said burners for supplying gas and air to the burners, and control means connectedv to Said supply means and said chamber and operable in response to changes in pressure Within said chamber to regulate the supply of gas and air to said burners thereby maintaining the thermal output :of said burners constant and vpreventing extinction of the ilames from said burners.

5. Apparatus rior tipping off an exhaust tube of a vessel containing gas at a pressure Ihigher than atmospheric, comprising a pressure chamber disposed about a tippingoi position of the apparatus and having an entrance thereto, means connected to said chamber for introducing compressed air to said chamber to provide a predetermined pressure Within said chamber, an exhaust head adapted to receive an exhaust tube and operable to move into 4hermetic engagement with said chamber and to de- Y Y1`1 -liverfa vessel tothe tipping-off position WithinY said chamber,'mea ns disposed at the `entrance Yto said chamber and -foperable Iby movementlofsaid head toV permitv ingresspof such vessel lthereinto with maximum loss of 'pressure within said chamber, a plurality of burners disposed adjacent the tipping-oi'position of such-ap- Y -paratus and positioned-to effect the tipping off of the exhaust tubejof suchvessel, supply means connected to 'said burners 1for supplying gas and air to the burners,

control means Vconnected to said supply means and said y chamber yand operable' in'fresponse to changes in pressure Within saidchamber torregulate the supply of gas and air to said burners thereby maintaining the thermal foutput of Ysaidburners constant and preventing extinc- Vtio'n'oithe llames from said burners, and discharge means disposed'adjacent the tipping-olf position of Ysaid apparatus and operable to-receive thevtipped-off vessels zand-discharge the'latter from said chamber with minimum loss Vof pressure within said chamber.

6. Apparatus for tipping oir an exhaust tube of a vessel Vcontainingy gas` Vat, a pressure higher'than atmospheric,

comprising a pressure chamber disposed about a tipping- Y 0E position .of the apparatus and having an entrance l thereto andan exit therefrom, means connected tosaid Y chamber for introducing compressed air to saidchamber to provide a predetermined pressure within said chamber, an exhaust head adapted to receive an exhaust tube and operable to move into hermetic engagement with said chamber and to deliver a vessel to the tippingoff position within said chamber, means disposed at the entrance tot said chamber and operable' by movement of said headY to permit ingress ,of such vessel thereinto with a minimum lloss of pressure Within said chamber, a plurality of burners disposed adjacent the tipping-oil position of such apparatus and positioned to eiect the tippingrot of the exhaust tube of such vessel, supply means ,Y connectedV toV said burners for supplying gas and air to the burners, control means connected to said supply means and to said chamber and operable in response to changes in pressure within said chamber -to regulate the supply-ot` gas and air to said burners thereby maintainving thethermal output of said burners constantand preventing extinction `of the flames from said burners, and means disposedrat the exit to said chamber and operable Yby movement'of said head'to permit egress of said head out of said chamber withV minimumV loss of pressure within the chamber. Y e Y V Y,7; Apparatus for tipping ott an exhaust tube of a` vessel containing gas at a pressure higher than atmospheric,

comprising a pressure chamber disposed about a tipping-` oit position of the apparatus and having an'entrance liver a vesselito the tipping-oit position within said chamber, means `disposed at the entrance to said chamber and operable by movement of said head to permitingress of such vessel-thereintowith minimum loss of pressure f Y within said chamber, VaV plurality of burners disposed adjacent the tipping-oir position of such apparatus and pol lsitioned to etect the `tipping-ohc Vof the exhaust tube of suche vessel, supply/means connected to said burners for supplying gas and air to the burners, control means con- V chamber and operable by movement of saidrhead to permit egress of said Yheard out-of said chamber with minimum loss of pressure within the chamber.

8.V Apparatus for tipping off an exhaust tube of a vessel containing gas at a pressure higher than atmospheric,

Vcomprising a pressure chamber disposed about a tipping- ,olif position of the apparatus and having an entrance thereto and an exit therefrom, means connected to said chamber for introducing compressed air Yto said chamber to provide a pressure within said chamber higher than the pressure within said vessel, an exhaust head adapted to receive an exhaust tube and operablerto move into slidable engagement with said chamber and to deliver a vessel to the tipping-oirposition within said chamber, said `head being hermetically sealed to the chamber when 'the head is in engagement with'the latter by the pressure within the chamber, thrust means disposedV on the chamber and engageable with the head While the latter is in the tipping-oft position to prevent the pressure within the chamber from breaking the hermetic SeaLbetvveen the chamber and the head, means disposed at the entrance to said chamber and operable by movement of said head to permit ingress fof such vessel thereintoV With minimumV loss of pressure within said chamber, Ya plurality of burners disposed adjacent the tipping-0E position of such apparatus andlpositioned to elect the tipping olf of the exhaust tube of Ysuch vessel, supply means connected to said burners -forl supplying gas and air to the burners, control means connected to said supply means and said chamber and operable in response to changes in pressure Within said chamber to regulate the supply of V discharge the latter from said chamber with minimum erable in response to-changes in pressure Withinrsaid chamber.

loss of pressure within said chamber, and means disposed at the exit to said chamber and operable by movement of said head to permit egress of said head from said chamberV with minimum loss of pressurefwithin the 9. Apparatus for tipping ofi?v an exhaust tube of a vesiselcontaining gas ata pressure higher than atmospheric,

' comprising a pressure chamber disposed about a tippingoit` position ofthe apparatus and'havingV anY entrance thereto and an exitrtherefrom, means connected to said chamber for introducing compressedl air to said chamber to provide V`a predetermined pressure rvvithinjsaid chamber, anexhaurst head adaptedptopreceive an exhaust'tube and operable, to move into hermetic Vengagement with said chamber and to'deliver a vessel to the tipping-0E Vpositionwithinsaid chamber, an entrance rotor disposed at Athelentrancetosaid chamber in hermetic-engagelment' with'rthe entrance, said entrance rotor being provided vvithslots lwhiclrare engageablerby Vsaiclhead and being operable by movement of said head .when said head engages one of said slots toy permit Yingress of such ves,-

VVsel thereinto with minimum loss ofnpressure within said chamber, a', plurality of burners Ydisposed, adjacent the tipping-oefrposition of s uch apparatus and positioned `to velect theVV tipping-olfv of the exhaust tube of such vessel, `supply means connected toY said burners4 for supplying gas andY air to thelburners', Y'control means connected to V,said s upply'means Vand said chamber and Moperable in response to changesxin pressureV vvithin said chamber to Y' regulate the supply ofgas` and ^air Y,to said Yburners thereby chamberto regulategthe supply of gas and air tok said',4

' Y theV tipping-off Position@ Said apparatus and Operable Vto receive the tipped-oit vessels and discharge the latter 'from'. said chamber with minimum loss of pressure within maintaining the thermal output of said burners constant and preventingextinctionof the llamesfrom said burners, discharge means disposed adjacent the tipping-off position 'di saidapparatusA and operable to receiveY the vtipped- 'vo vessels and discharge the latter from said chamber loss Qf pressure Within said chamber, and an`exi`t rotor disposed at-the'exit" tofsaid chamber'in hermetic engagement with said exit and operable by movement of said head to permit egress of said lhead out of said chamber with minimum loss of pressure within the chamber.

l0. Apparatus for tipping off an exhaust tube of a vessel containing gas at a pressure higher than atmospheric, comprising a pressure chamber disposed about a tipping off position of the apparatus and having an entrance thereto and an exit therefrom, means connected to said chamber for introducing compressed air to said chamber to provide a predetermined pressure within said chamber, an exhaust head adapted to receive an eX- haust tube and operable to move into hermetic engagement Fwith said chamber and to deliver a vessel to the tipping-off position within said chamber, means disposed at the entrance to said chamber and operable by movement of said head to permit ingress of such vessel thereinto with minimum loss of pressure within said chamber, a plurality of burners disposed adjacent the tipping-ott position of such apparatus and positioned to effect the tipping off of the exhaust tube of such vessel, supply means connected to said burners for supplying gas and air to the burners, control means connected to said supply means and said chamber and operable in response to changes in pressure within said chamber to regulate the supply of gas and air to said burners thereby maintaining the thermal output of said burners constant and preventing extinction of the flames from said burners, guide means disposed Within said chamber adjacent the tipping-oli position of said apparatus and operable to receive the tipped-off vessels, a discharge rotor provided with a plurality of apertures, one of which apertures is always in registry with said guide means to receive a tipped-o vessel from the latter and is hemetically sealed to said chamber, means connected to said discharge rotor for moving said aperture and said tipped-oit vessel to a discharge position to permit discharge of said tipped-01T Vessel from said aperture with a minimum loss of pressure within said chamber, and means disposed at the exit to said chamber and operable by movement of said head to permit egress of said head out of said chamber with minimum loss of pressure within the chamber.

11. Apparatus for tipping-off an exhaust tube of a vessel containing gas at a pressure higher than atmospheric, comprising a pressure chamber disposed about a tipping-oft position of the apparatus and having an entrance thereto and an exit therefrom, means connected to said chamber for introducing compressed air to said chamber to provide a predetermined pressure within said chamber, an exhaust head adapted to receive an exhaust tube and operable to move into hermetic engagement with said chamber and to deliver a vessel to the tippingotf position within said chamber, means disposed at the entrance to said chamber and operable by movement of said head to permit ingress of such vessel thereinto with minimum loss of pressure Within said chamber, a plurality of burners disposed adjacent the tipping-off position of such apparatus and positioned to eiect the tipping-01T of the exhaust tube of such vessel, supply means connected to said burners for supplying gas and air to the burners, control means connected to said s-upply means and said chamber and operable in response to changes in pressure within said chamber to regulate the supply of gas and air to said burners thereby maintaining the thermal output of said burners constant and preventing extinction of the ames from said burners, a tip-o fork and a nest disposed within said chamber at the tipping-off position and operable during the tippingoi operation to move into a vessel-supporting position and to stretch the exhaust tube at the tip-oi point to seal otr the latter, said nest being further operable to move the tipped-oit vessel to a discharge position, discharge means disposed adjacent the discharge position of said nest and operable to receive the tipped-oi vessel from said nest and discharge the latter from said chamber with minimum loss of pressure within said chamber, and means disposed at the exit to said chamber and operable by movement of said head to permit egress of said head out of said chamber with minimum loss of pressure within the chamber.

12. Apparatus for -tipping oi an exhaust tube of a phototlash lamp containing gas at a pressure higher than atmospheric, comprising a pressure chamber disposed about a tipping-ott position of the apparatus and having an entrance thereto and an exit therefrom, means connected to said chamber for introducing compressed air to said chamber to provide a pressure Within said chamber higher than the pressure within said lamp, an exhaust head adapted to receive an exhaust tube and operable to move into slidable engagement with said chamber and to deliver a lamp to the tipping-ott position within said chamber, said head being hermetically sealed to the chamber when the head is in engagement with the latter by the pressure within the chamber, a thrust roller disposed on the chamber and engageable with the head while such head is in the tipping-oit position to prevent the pressure Within the chamber from breaking the hermetic seal between the chamber and the head, an entrance rotor disposed at the entrance of said chamber in hermetic engagement with the entrance, said entrance rotor being provided with slots which are engageable by said head and being operable lby movement of said head when said head engages one of said slots to permit ingress of such lamp thereinto with minimum loss of pressure within said chamber, a plurality of burners disposed adjacent the tipping-odi position of such apparatus and positioned to effect the tipping ol of the eX- 4haust tube of such lamp, supply means connected to said burners for supplying gas and air to the burners, control means connected to said supply means and said chamber and operable in response to changes in pressure within said chamber to regulate the supply of gas and air to said burners thereby maintaining the thermal output of said burners constant and preventing extinction of the flames from said burners, a tip-oi fork and a nest disposed within said chamber at the tipping-oli position and operable during the tipping-ofi operation to move into lamp-supporting position and to stretch the exhaust tube at the tip-0E point to seal the latter, said nest being further operable to move the tipped-oit lamp to an unloading position, guide means disposed within said chamber adjacent the unloading position of said nest and operable to receive the tipped-oit lamp from said nest when the latter is in the unloading position, a discharge rotor provided with a plurality of apertures, one of which apertures is always in registry with said guide means to receive a tipped-off vessel from the latter and is hemetically sealed to said chamber, means connected to said discharge rotor for moving said aperture and said tippedofi lamp to a discharge position to permit discharge of said tipped-off lamp from said aperture witth a minimum loss of pressure within said chamber, and an exit rotor disposed at the exit to said chamber in hermetic engagement with said exit and operable by movement of said head to permit egress of said head out of said chamber with minimum loss of pressure within the chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

